


First Mistakes

by soldiermom1973



Category: Mass Effect
Genre: Collector base, First mistake, Gen, Mass Effect 2, Normandy - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-05
Updated: 2016-09-05
Packaged: 2018-08-13 05:12:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 376
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7963783
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/soldiermom1973/pseuds/soldiermom1973
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Illusive Man thought he and Shepard had the same goals.  He thought wrong.</p>
            </blockquote>





	First Mistakes

**Author's Note:**

> This is my submission for this month's MEFF Drabble prompt, First Mistake.
> 
> It's basically a retelling of the end of ME2. I took a little liberty with the actual in-game conversation to help it fit with the drabble a bit better.

She did what she thought was right by destroying the Collector base. The fact that doing so made the Illusive Man livid not only verified that belief but made it immensely satisfying, too. Shepard stood in front of the QEC monitor in the conference room, arms crossed over her chest, one hip thrust out, and a smirk firmly plastered on her face as the man responsible for her resurrection seethed.

“You're making a habit of costing me more than time and money,” he glowered.

“Too many lives were lost at that base. I'm not sorry it's gone.” There was a time Shepard might have felt like she owed Cerberus, and the Illusive Man, for her revival. The more she worked with him, though, the more she realized that she was simply a means to an end and if it hadn't been her, he'd have found someone else to take care of the Collectors.

“The first of many lives,” Illusive retorted. “The technology from that base could have secured human dominance in the galaxy, against the Reapers and beyond.

“Human dominance? Or just Cerberus?” Shepard's eyes narrowed.

“Strength for Cerberus is strength for every human.” The Illusive Man stood and strode closer to Shepard's shimmering image. “Cerberus IS humanity. I made a mistake thinking you could handle the hard decisions. You were too idealisitic from the start.”

“ _A_ mistake? You forgetting that I do the right thing was only the first of many mistakes. Besides, I'm not looking for your approval,” Shepard scoffed. “Harbinger's coming and he won't be alone. Humanity needs a leader who's looking out for them. From now on, I'm doing things my way, whether you agree or not.”

“Don't turn your back on me, Shepard. I made you. I brought you back from the dead.” Shepard grinned at the unmistakable fury that covered Illusive's face.

“Joker? Lose this channel.” Shepard turned and walked away, a sly smile spreading across her face. Illusive's first mistake wasn't forgetting she had morals; it was bringing her back from the dead. His second was thinking she would just fall in line and blindly obey his orders. Instead, she took his people from him, defied his wishes, and she had his ship.

It was a damn good day.


End file.
